Kysaiah Pickett Biography

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin believes Kysaiah Pickett can take his game to another level with more time in the midfield.

"What you've seen this year is our ability to put him through the midfield and impact the game around stoppage and clearance is something that we want to continue to evolve with 'Koz'," Goodwin said.

"He's still got a lot of untapped ability in terms of where we want to take him. He knows that and we're excited by what he can deliver."

Kozzy Pickett signs a four-year contract extension to stay at Melbourne.

"I'm very excited to be signing on and continuing my career in the red and blue," Pickett said.

"The club has embraced me and my family, and I can't thank them enough for their support. Everything I do is to make my family proud and the respect and understanding my teammates and coaches have shown us means a lot.

"Giving back to my community and putting smiles on kids' faces makes me happy. I was once that little kid and it's special for me to now be giving back and doing what I love, surrounded by people I love."

Kysaiah Pickett looks set for more midfield time in 2023 with Melbourne planning on using the speedy forward around stoppages more than ever.

Melbourne emphatically puts to bed speculation linking livewire forward Kysaiah Pickett with a move to Port Adelaide.

"All Kozzy talks about is how much he loves this footy club, so we're a bit baffled about all that stuff," Melbourne list manager Tim Lamb said.

"(Port Adelaide football manager) Chris Davies answered it really well last week that it's never even been in consideration. It's just crazy talk."

Kysaiah Pickett has become the latest AFL player to suffer racial abuse online after kicking the match-winning goal against Carlton.

"Last night, a Melbourne player was again subjected to racism on social media," Melbourne said in a statement.

"This sort of behaviour is abhorrent and needs to stop. It is saddening, angering and unacceptable that this behaviour continues to occur.

"It is important that we, as a football community, call this behaviour out and hold these individuals to account."

Melbourne trio Kysaiah Pickett, Luke Jackson and Tom Sparrow, as well as coach Simon Goodwin, will miss Saturday's clash with Hawthorn after entering the AFL's health and safety protocols due to testing positive for COVID-19.

Adem Yze will take the reins in the coaches' box in place of Goodwin for the match.

Jack Riewoldt is seen having a few heated words to Kozzy Pickett in the final term of the Tigers' clash against Melbourne.

After Pickett kicked a goal from an off-the-ball free kick, the 19-year-old pointed to the scoreboard to make sure Rhyan Mansell and other Tigers knew all about it. Triple premiership hero Riewoldt made a beeline for Pickett after the incident, and he revealed what he said to the young forward.

"He's probably one of my favourite players to watch play ... I just said you're probably better than that," he said on Fox Footy.

"Just enjoy playing footy. But some guys go about it differently."

Kysaiah Pickett heads home to Western Australia after the passing of his mother.

"He's committed to go back and the funeral is late February, early March and he'll be back till then. When he feels it's the right time to leave the family he'll come back," Demons football boss Alan Richardson told SEN radio.

"We're incredibly supportive of whatever Kozzie thinks is the right thing and certainly his family think is the right thing we'll support that."

Kysaiah Pickett is the 2020 round 11 NAB AFL Rising Star nominee after tallying 12 disposals (eight contested) and six score involvements against the Kangaroos.

Kysaiah Pickett and Charlie Spargo are suspended for one and two matches respectively after breaching the AFL's strict COVID-19 protocols.

The breach occurred when the pair travelled by Uber to an unauthorised house for a non-essential gathering.

Kysaiah Pickett makes his AFL debut for Melbourne at Perth Stadium with 11 disposals (7 kicks and 4 handballs), a mark, a tackle and 2 goals in a 27-point loss to West Coast.

Kysaiah Pickett, nephew of Byron Pickett, is being tipped as the biggest bolter of the upcoming 2019 AFL Draft, coming into first-round calculations after being officially invited to the first night of the draft.

"With his speed and his kicking, it's really tempting to get him through the middle of the ground. But it's hard to move him out of the forward line, because he kicks goals and he chases and tackles," South Australia coach Tony Bamford said.

"His weapons suggest he's a small forward, but I still have visions of him playing through the midfield as well as he gets older."